THE CZECH IS IN THE MAIL
Another winter storm has come and gone.
Many of us had nowhere to go — either because we couldn’t or just chose not to. A few of us lost power or had plumbing issues, but despite any challenges, we hardy souls of Williamson County survived.
Winter Storm Fern made her presence felt the night of Jan. 23 and gave us a mixture of ice, snow and sleet as the weekend kicked off.
The wintry mix was enough to keep many of us — my family and myself included — inside for the better part of three days.
Getting around took some planning, however.
As the mercury plummeted, we dropped off my wife at work in Round Rock at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 24 — a Saturday — and then drove through Chickfil- A in Hutto to stock up on nuggets, tortilla soup and two gallons of tea — one sweet, one unsweet.
Even before the approaching front slammed the region, we grabbed groceries Jan. 22. Many folks apparently had the same idea. Indeed, my better half almost had a meltdown because the lactose-free milk ran out at the H-E-B in Taylor.
A co-worker dropped my wife, Sabrina, off at our house Saturday evening to prevent me from having to get the youngsters out in the cold again. We didn’t venture forth after that until Tuesday.
It’s been said that Texans don’t know how to drive in snow, sleet or ice. While I cannot speak on behalf of our beloved fellow residents, I can speak for myself — I didn’t even try.
I’ve driven in snow before. When I lived in the Midwest, I motored around in wintry weather.
I even got behind the wheel during Winter Storm Uri five years ago. But during Winter Storm Fern, there was nowhere for me to go.
The offices of the Taylor Press and sister newspaper Elgin Courier remained closed Monday, not to mention our driveway was covered with half an inch of ice.
However, thanks to our digital resources, the reporting team was able to keep our readers informed about the winter storm.
My wife’s workplace was shuttered, too.
Meanwhile, two places in our coverage area set up shelter for those who had nowhere to go.
Elgin Open Door Ministries, 108 Depot St. in Elgin, and St. James’ Episcopal Church, 614 Davis St. in Taylor, offered refuge from the cold to the unhoused and others who needed food and a warm place to wait things out.
Today it was great to see the sun again. It melted most of Fern’s “gifts” of wintry mix.
Sunshine is a sign of something else — we weathered the storm.
Chlapek is the area editor of the Elgin Courier and Taylor Press. He can be reached at jason.chlapek@granitemediapartners.
com.
